Francesco Zabarella

Francesco Zabarella (10 August 1360 – 26 September 1417) was an Italian cardinal and canonist.

Born in Padua, he studied jurisprudence at Bologna and at Florence, where he graduated in 1385. He taught Canon law at Florence until 1390 and at Padua until 1410. Having taken minor orders in 1385, he became vicar of bishop Acciajuoli of Florence and pastor at the Church of Santa Maria in Pruncta near Florence. In 1398 he was made archpriest of the cathedral at Padua. The Paduan Government repeatedly employed him on diplomatic missions, and towards the end of 1404, he was one of two ambassadors sent to King Charles VI of France to obtain the latter's assistance against Venice, which was preparing to annex Padua. When Padua had become part of the Venetian Republic in 1406, Zabarella became a loyal supporter of Venice. In 1409 he took part in the Council of Pisa as councilor of the Venetian legate. On 18 July 1410, Pope John XXIII appointed him bishop of Florence and papal referendary, and on 6 June 1411, he made him the Cardinal Deacon of the Titular church of Santi Cosma e Damiano.

His most important literary production is an ecclesiastic-political treatise, De schismate (Strasburg, 1515). It consists of independent portions, written at different intervals from 1403 to 1408, and contains various suggestions for ending the schism.

Zabarella's chief writings in canon law are (with examples of editions):

Also attributed to him but in need of verification:

A large number of his letters are in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek of Vienna, Cod. Lat. 5513. In some, Zabarella is referred to by the nickname Cardinalis

In music history, Zabarella is famous for being the patron of the composer Johannes Ciconia. Ciconia immortalized Zabarella in song by composing a three-voice isorhythmic motet in his honor, Doctorum Principem/Melodia Suavissima/Vir Mitis, surviving in the manuscript Bologna Q15.

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